NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa after elevated bacteria levels delays World Aquatics events, Singapore News
NEA does not usually assess marine water quality based on E. coli levels.
Instead, it follows World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to determine the suitability of a recreational beach for primary contact activities, by measuring the levels of another group of bacteria, Enterococcus.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, NEA said that WHO recommends using only Enterococcus for assessing marine water quality. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between Enterococcus levels in marine waters and public health risks.
NEA said that its weekly water monitoring showed that the water quality at Sentosa beaches has been in the "normal" range in the past few weeks.
The recreational beaches are also graded every six months based on the past 100 samples. NEA said that the Sentosa beaches were graded "good" in the latest grading exercise in January 2025, and suitable for swimming and other primary contact activities.
While most strains are harmless, some can cause serious illnesses such as diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and sepsis.
Meanwhile, Enterococcus is another group of bacteria - also naturally found in the intestines of animals and humans - which can also cause urinary tract infections and gall bladder infections.
It can also sometimes be found in soil, water and plants. The bacteria can also survive longer in marine environments.
ST previously reported that World Aquatics adopts stricter water quality standards compared to guidelines set for recreational swimming, given the prolonged exposure faced by athletes during competition, with 10km races typically lasting around two hours.
The men and women's races were later again pushed to 1pm and 4pm respectively on July 16 as the results from a sample taken on Tuesday (July 15) morning showed that the levels are still above "acceptable thresholds" despite improvement.
The next open water swimming events are men and women's 5km races scheduled for July 18.
World Aquatics had said that regular water quality monitoring and testing continues throughout the competition period to ensure athlete safety, with the health and safety of all participants continuing to guide all competition-related decisions.
Associate Professor Yann Boucher, co-director for the climate, environment and health programme at NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that athletes are more at risk as the strenuous exercise can lead to swallowing more water as compared with recreational swimming.
"The length of time spent in the water can also contribute as the risk is proportional to how much water is swallowed," he added.
Experts said that potential sources could vary from animals and humans to wastewater discharge.
Professor Boucher said that the bacteria can come from various sources such as birds, humans swimming, wastewater leakage or discharge - which he said is often linked to the systems being overwhelmed by heavy downpours.
Professor Paul Tambyah, past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said that it could also come from boats which are not properly disposing of human or animal waste.
[[nid:720302]]
This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Florida reports 21 cases of E.coli infections linked to raw milk
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Federal health officials have warned against consuming raw milk due to the bird flu outbreak in the United States. FLORIDA - The Florida Department of Health said on Aug 4 that there have been 21 cases of Campylobacter and E. coli infections linked to drinking raw milk in the state, including six children under 10. The state health department reported seven hospitalisations linked to the consumption of raw milk containing disease-causing bacteria from a particular farm in Northeast and Central Florida. 'Sanitation practices in this farm are of particular concern due to the number of cases,' the health department said. The Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Campylobacter infections can cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps. In severe cases, they can cause kidney failure, which is of particular concern for children, the health department said. In Florida, raw milk is sold only for non-human consumption as pet or animal food, which limits sanitary regulation efforts. Containers must be clearly labeled that the raw milk is for animal consumption only. Federal health officials have warned against consuming raw milk due to the bird flu outbreak in the United States. US Health Secretary Kennedy has been a proponent of raw milk. REUTERS
CNA
6 days ago
- CNA
WHO chief says continuous medical aid into Gaza 'critical'
GENEVA: The World Health Organization's chief said getting a continuous flow of medical supplies into Gaza was "critical", as WHO trucks carrying aid headed for the border on Wednesday (Jul 30). Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency had moved 10 trucks from El-Arish in Egypt to Israel's Kerem Shalom border crossing into the Gaza Strip. The trucks are carrying "essential medicines, laboratory and water testing supplies", he said, with two additional trucks with medical supplies, along with 12 pallets of blood products, expected to join them on Thursday. "All WHO supplies will then be moved into Gaza, along with three trucks with medical supplies from health partners," Tedros said on X. "The health needs in Gaza are immense. A continuous flow of medical supplies is critical. "We continue to call for sustained, safe, and unhindered access for medical aid into and across Gaza and for a ceasefire. Peace is the best medicine." Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on Mar 2 after ceasefire talks broke down. In late May, it began allowing a small trickle of aid to resume, amid warnings of a wave of starvation. This week, Israel launched daily pauses in its military operations in some parts of Gaza and opened secure routes to enable UN agencies and other aid groups to distribute food in the densely populated territory of more than two million. The WHO says that in Gaza, air strikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water, and fuel have "virtually depleted" the under-resourced health system, with many hospitals out of operation and others barely functioning. The provision of essential health services - from maternal and newborn care to treatment for chronic conditions - has been "severely compromised", the UN health agency says. A WHO spokesman told AFP that nine of the agency's trucks had gone into Gaza on Jun 25; four on Jun 28; 11 on Jul 8; and six more on Jul 20.
AsiaOne
6 days ago
- AsiaOne
Coroner's Court holds inquiry into death of local actress Alice Ho, Entertainment News
An investigation into the death of local actress Alice Ho from post-op bacterial infection began on Monday (July 28), two years after her death. Alice, who debuted in local showbiz in 1997 and is most well-known for playing Taugeh Soh (Beansprout auntie) in local long-form TV drama Holland V (2003), died at the age of 72 on July 9, 2023. According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao on Monday, she underwent surgery for uterine prolapse at Singapore General Hospital on July 6, 2023, but died from sepsis and peritonitis a few days later on July 9. The Coroner's Court opened an inquest on Monday following questions her family raised about the medical and post-operation treatment she received prior to her death. The court heard that Alice had visited the hospital in April 2023 and was attended to by Dr Lin Shaojiang (transliteration). Dr Lin testified that Alice had complained of a lump between her legs that had troubled her for a decade and affected her urination. Upon further examination, the doctor found her uterus to have prolapsed and proposed three options, including undergoing surgery to remove her uterus and repair the pelvic floor, which Alice decided to go for after discussing with her family. Dr Lin added that the operation was successfully completed on July 6, 2023, and when he checked on her the next day, she was awake and able to communicate normally. However, Alice's condition worsened later, and she was found to have bacterial infection after a CT scan. The medical team decided to perform surgery to find the source of the infection. They found a small amount of fluid in her pelvis and there were no abnormalities in her surrounding internal organs. She was prescribed antibiotics, but her condition did not improve, and she died in the evening of July 9. The court learnt that investigation found Alice's cause of death to be bacterial infection by E. coli, which was translocated during the removal of her uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. A medical expert who testified at court said that the bacteria was likely transmitted from a laceration in her intestines or from the medical devices that were used. On the second day of the hearing on July 29, the court heard that Alice's examination results corresponded to an abdominal infection, which they treated with antibiotics. However, she didn't respond to the treatment and her condition deteriorated. The case will be concluded by the Coroner's Court at a later date. [[nid:720780]]
